1. Technical Field
The present disclosure relates to controlling communications between electronic devices, and relates more particularly to communication control that can desirably and easily improve communication performance without changing an application on the host side.
2. Related Art
Point-of-sale (POS) systems are common throughout the retail industry, including supermarkets. Such systems typically have multiple terminal devices (cash registers) connected to a server over a network, and the terminals operate and execute processes according to locally installed applications. A printer is also usually disposed to each terminal, and produces receipts and coupons as controlled by the application. Systems that are configured similarly to POS systems and produce similar outputs are also used by hospitals and package delivery companies.
As technology improves and business needs change after such systems are first deployed, updating the hardware and expanding the functionality of such systems becomes necessary. However, because these systems are usually central to business operations and are in constant use, and are often complexly linked to other systems, upgrading the system application is usually not easy. For example, when the computers used as the terminals, the printers, or other peripheral devices are replaced with new devices, the existing applications or drivers must also be updated.
This problem as it relates to output process functions has been addressed as described below.
JP-A-H08-69427 discloses a device that embodies a modem function in a personal computer that enables eliminating the memory and microprocessor required by a conventional modem without needing to modify the existing application program.
JP-A-2006-338443 discloses a device that, by accessing a single communication port, can print simultaneously on a printer connected to a different communication port to print duplicate copies of the same content without changing the application.
The literature is silent, however, about how to control the flow of communication when updating the computer or printer is desirable, and how to improve communication performance between electronic devices according to the specifications of the new hardware.
JP-A-2006-338443 also relies on processing at the kernel layer of the operating system, but adding functions to the kernel of the operating system (including program development) is generally not easy, and functions are limited.